It seems only natural that native Savannahian Miriam Center would write a play about lyricist Johnny Mercer of "Moon River" fame during the 100th year of his birth.

Miriam and Johnny were kindred spirits and had much in common, including a love for Savannah and the ability to accentuate the positive, the title of one of his songs. The two met in the early 1960s when Miriam was invited to Hollywood by her cousin, Hal Kanter, who has written the Academy Awards show for television for, literally, scores of years.

It was 1963 to be precise when Johnny and Henry Mancini won an Oscar for the "Days of Wine and Roses."

"We were at the awards and at the after-dinner celebration at the Beverly Hilton and were introduced," Miriam recalled. "We discovered that we had good mutual friends in Savannah.

"He then came to Savannah when the Civic Center opened and we became friends."

After Johnny died in the 1970s, Miriam thought about writing a book and then gave her information to other authors who interviewed her in later years, she said. Recently, someone suggested the idea of a play based on her friendship with Johnny. Theater veteran Tom Coleman III helped flesh it into a "done deal," she said.

The musical is called "Johnny & Me" and stars Jeff Hall, Terri Smiley, Elizabeth Brewster, Barry Finch, Cindy Colley and Bob Fennell. It features some of Johnny's most popular songs, including "Come Rain or Come Shine," "Days of Wine and Roses," "Moon River," "That Old Black Magic," "Accentuate The Positive" and "Skylark." The story is told through live flashbacks, slides, video, headlines, news articles, as well as songs and dances.

Show dates and times are July 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Savannah Civic Center, and July 16 and July 17, both at 8 p.m. at the Plantation Club at The Landings on Skidaway Island.

Miriam describes Johnny as a "dear and interesting man" ... "complex and introspective, one of the reasons he turned out such lyrical poetry in his songs."

When he came to town, Johnny and Miriam would shop at the old Smith Brothers Grocery Store on Habersham and 41st streets and cook for friends at his rented cottage on Tybee.

"We sat for hours ideating and philosophizing, and just being friends," she said. "He was a deep and introspective person, fun and very giving."

After his death, Johnny's widow, Ginger, invited Miriam to Atlanta and New York for programs to honor him, Miriam said.

"When I suggested naming the theater portion of the Civic Center 'The Johnny Mercer Theatre,' (Ginger) was delighted," she added. "I put together, with the help of my cousin Hal again, a whopper show - 'Four Girls Four' with Margaret Whiting, Rose Marie, Helen O'Connell and Rosemary Clooney. I felt like Loretta Young when I strode on to the Johnny Mercer stage to dedicate the space in his honor ... Now every time I go to a concert there I feel like shouting, 'This is my baby.' "

Several years ago, after a friend moved to a house on the Moon River, I searched high and low for a biography of Johnny Mercer. I finally found, "My Huckleberry Friend," but it was mostly his song lyrics. Now, Cherokee Publishing Co. in Atlanta has re-issued the book and beefed it up with stories from friends, associates and Mercer family members. It's called, "Johnny Mercer: The Life, Times and Song Lyrics of Our Huckleberry Friend" and is available in local bookstores.